Products

Barrier Housewrap

Drainable membrane aims at "barrier," not
"breathable," protection from moisture

Delta-Dry takes a "barrier" approach to keeping walls dry that
looks promising, in part because of the high-level product testing
the manufacturer has sought in North America. The concept behind
this impermeable, molded-polyethylene weather barrier is that the
bumps and channels in its surface create a drain cavity, which
dissipates moisture that might accumulate on either side of it.
Thus, it provides a drainage plane behind any exterior cladding,
and it allows an escape path for water that might condense on the
wall side. In theory, it's a compelling product: an impermeable
membrane will have a higher water holdout capacity and resist
solar-driven moisture far better than any permeable product. But
it's still unclear to us how well the product will perform in the
real world. All the testing reports — some of it by top-rated
building scientists in the U.S. and Canada — urge that the
edges must remain open to allow moisture to escape. But if edges
remain open to provide sufficient ventilation behind the membrane,
isn't there an increased chance of wind-driven rain getting in?
Clearly, the product's success will depend on the care taken with
installation. While that's true of any water-resistive barrier,
this one definitely bears further scrutiny. For more information,
contact Cosella-Drken Products, 888-433-5824; www.delta-dry.com.

Strong Hold

Ring-shank air nails help resist uplift and
shear

Wood-frame construction typically fails under wind loads at
fastening points, most often by a nail shank pulling out or
material pulling out around the nail head. The Stanley-Bostitch
HurriQuake nail is a 21-inch plastic-collated air nail designed to
resist these common wind failures. According to the manufacturer,
the nail's aggressive ring geometry combined with a nearly 25%
larger head provide enough uplift resistance to withstand hurricane
winds up to 170 mph. The head of each nail is marked with either an
"HQ1" or "HQ2" for easy identification during inspections. In
addition, the nails are packaged in a stiffer plastic collation
strip that reportedly breaks away more effectively as the nail is
driven, reducing "flagging" — and thus helping to prevent
squeaky floors that result from flagging caught between the
sheathing and hardwood flooring. (You'll still have to make sure
the nails are not underdriven, and that the joists are stout enough
to resist deflection — the primary causes of squeaky floors.)
For more information, contact Stanley Fastening Systems,
800-556-6696; www.bostitch.com.

High-Performance Hips

Shadow line on hip matches field shingles of
wind-rated roofing

Atlas Roofing has introduced StormMaster Pro-Cut Hip & Ridge
shingles: pretrimmed hip and ridge shingles that complement its
line of StormMaster shingles. The cap shingles eliminate much of
the hand trimming associated with hip and ridge caps, minimizing
waste and also providing shadow lines along hips and ridges to
match the field shingles — a look that is ordinarily not
available when cutting caps from single-ply shingles on a roof with
architectural-grade laminated field shingles. Like the rest of the
shingles in the StormMaster line, the wind performance comes from
the addition of an aggressive sealant strip that keeps the shingles
down in high winds, in combination with the SBS-modified asphalt in
which the fiberglass mat is sandwiched. The SBS emulsion is a
flexible, rubberlike material that is less likely to tear if the
tabs are lifted in a windstorm. For more information, contact Atlas
Roofing Corporation, 770-952-1442; www.atlasroofing.com.

Leakproof Liner

Prefab pan speeds tile prep and provides peace
of mind from leaks

Tile Redi shower pan modules replace copper and vinyl shower
liners, vastly simplifying the job of installing a tiled shower.
The pre-sloped polymer pan, which the manufacture says carries a
lifetime warranty against leaks, provides a continuous 1/4-inch
slope for drainage without puddles, and integral ribs underneath
the pan eliminate the need for building up a mortar bed. Tile Redi
units can be used with PVC, ABS, or metal drains. Once in place,
tile can be installed directly to the visible part of the liner,
including over the preformed curb. For more information, contact
Tile Redi, 800-232-6156; www.tileredi.com.

Denailing Gun

Pneumatic power for demolishing wood-frame
construction

The unprecedented amount of demolition and salvage work in
Mississippi and Louisiana could get kicked forward by the Nail
Kicker. This tool, which retails for about $250, resembles a
pneumatic nailer but works in reverse: the sleeve of the tool is
designed to slip over the pointed end of a nail, and a stout driver
in the sleeve "kicks" the nail out of the wood. This action
requires that the framing already be knocked apart and the old
nails exposed, but Hurricane Katrina, followed by bulldozers, has
already helped that along. According to the manufacturer, the Nail
Kicker packs enough punch to dislodge spikes up to 20d in size. The
tool kicks the nail out about 2 inches with each blow, so multiple
blows may be needed for long nails. For more information, contact
Reconnx, Inc., 888-447-3873; www.nailkicker.com.

The Next Cordless
Revolution

Toolmakers embrace lithium-ion battery
technology

Lithium-ion cordless is catching on in the tool market. Milwaukee
was the first to offer a line of tools powered with longer-running
lithium-ion batteries, followed quickly by Makita and DeWalt, with
Hitachi becoming the latest contender. Lithium-ion cells are
considerably lighter than nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride
cells, a feature which manufacturers have exploited in various
ways. Milwaukee and DeWalt used the lighter cells to stuff more in
a battery pack to increase voltage. Milwaukee's first tool offering
was a 28-volt tool line, while DeWalt served up a 36-volt line. All
these tools pack enough power for high-draw applications, such as
recip saws with longer strokes, circular saws with greater cutting
capacity, and drill/drivers capable of powering a large-diameter
hole saw.

Makita, Hitachi, and (once again) Milwaukee have applied the new
technology to enhance their 18-volt lines, reducing the overall
weight of the tools while increasing run time. Other advantages
claimed by the manufacturers include increased battery life: the
new batteries can reportedly be charged and discharged two to three
times more often.

Cedar Look-Alike

Interlocking panels speed
installation

Nailite's polypropylene siding panels simulate the look and feel of
cedar shingles. RoughSawn Cedar EZ panels use an injection molding
process that creates a detailed texture that matches cedar. In the
weathered Cape Cod Perfection EZ and Perfection Plus Cedar versions
(which tend to be best suited for the coastal vernacular), it's
hard to tell the difference from real cedar when standing a few
feet back. The panels interlock, making installations easier and
faster, says Nailite's director of marketing Angel Toter. The
interlocking system automatically spaces each panel to allow for
expansion and contraction, which is similar (or only slightly
greater) than PVC. For keeping the panels in place, make sure that
a minimum of eight nails are installed along the nailing hem of the
36- to 43-inch panels, as per the manufacturer's directions. We
believe it's a good idea to use ring-shank nails with these or any
vinyl siding, as well. For more information, contact Nailite,
888-300-0070; www.nailite.com.

Modern Metal

Copper, zinc, and stainless steel garage
doors

Designer Doors offers metal-clad wood garage doors that provide a
contemporary look as well as opening protection in high-wind zones.
Available in copper, zinc, and stainless steel, these claddings
provide exceptional protection from weathering. Left uncoated, the
copper and zinc will oxidize to a deep green or blue patina,
respectively, while the stainless steel version maintains its
bright, modern finish. The door's strength for resisting wind-borne
debris comes from a concealed strut within the wooden panels of the
door. Models are available to meet Miami-Dade County requirements
— the toughest wind codes in the country. For more
information, contact Designer Doors, 800-241-0525; www.designerdoors.com .

PVC Trim Kits

New line of finish-grade stock meets the grade
for durable exteriors

Advanced TrimWright offers a complete line of cellular PVC exterior
trim products. Like other cellular PVC trim materials, TrimWright
provides finish-grade stock in a range of sizes that won't shrink,
warp, or rot, and is unaffected by moisture or insects. ATW's line
includes pre-joined corner boards, crown stock, dentil moldings,
column wraps, and door trim kits with fluted side casing and
pediment heads. For more information, contact Advanced TrimWright,
Inc., 877-822-7745; www.advancedtrimwright.com.

New Cordless Nailer

DeWalt takes on the Impulse

DeWalt recently introduced a cordless nailer that uses an 18-volt
ni-cad battery to power a mechanical flywheel system to drive nails
home. The result is the DC628K1 15-gauge nailer that shoots 11/4-
to 21/2-inch finish nails. It's the latest challenger to Paslode's
Trimpulse nailer that first debuted about 15 years ago. Since then,
only Porter-Cable has previously attempted to put up any
competition against the Trimpulse. DeWalt's version comes the
closest to being a contender: like the Paslode version, the DeWalt
nailer has a streamlined housing with an angled magazine, and it
operates like any air nailer, without, of course, being tied to a
hose and compressor. (The Porter-Cable Bammer requires the operator
to push the body of the tool in a few inches — an action that
takes some getting used to.) DeWalt offers one significant
improvement over Paslode's, however: it doesn't require fuel cells,
which could amount to a considerable cost savings running the
tools. DeWalt claims its nailer can fire approximately 720
21/2-inch nails per battery charge and deliver them much faster
than either the Paslode or Porter-Cable tools. For more
information, contact DeWalt, 800-433-9258; www.dewalt.com.